Here are a couple of charts a dedicated veterinarian has put together estimating the cost of attending veterinary school in North America. We thought it would be very helpful for those of you considering veterinary school to find out how much you will likely have to pay.

Unless otherwise noted, the dollar amounts used are for current (2011-2012) tuition costs and estimating a conservative 7% per year tuition increase. Also, the Cost of Attendance chart (which includes estimates for living expenses) estimates a 5% increase in cost of living per year.

Is there historical data that suggests 7% is a good number? I know at my university the increase from last year to this year was much higher than that. I understand you have to throw a dart at the wall at some point; just wondering why 7% (i.e. is that an average based on history, or .....).

Is there historical data that suggests 7% is a good number? I know at my university the increase from last year to this year was much higher than that. I understand you have to throw a dart at the wall at some point; just wondering why 7% (i.e. is that an average based on history, or .....).

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I think she chose 7% per year as a conservative number Many schools are doing 9-12% per year but perhaps that number will come down a bit.

I think that is the first time anyone has ever referred to me as 'a dedicated veterinarian'!

I picked 7% because that's the number that two schools actually gave me.
I would LOVE to put together the data to track average increase in tuition overall by ferreting out what tuition was at each school for the past ten or so years...

The reason for the na's at the bottom is that I can not locate cost of living figures for those schools; for each school I used the cost of attendance provided by the school on their website. Despite repeated emails I still haven't gotten estimates from those schools listed with an na. I will update as new figures come in. Glad to take suggestions about who to contact at each school.

Important to note-dollar amounts for Canadian schools are in $CN.

As far as Saskatoon not taking non-residents, I dunno. They list non-resident tuition. I'll check with them and see what the story is.

I do have to say I think these numbers are pretty conservative. They do not take into account any pre-existing loans from undergrad, nor do they reflect teh accumulation of interest while in school, AND allow NO wiggle room for unexpected expenses or events like major illness, buying a car of any kind, having to fly home for a funeral...

Eden, thanks so much for putting this together.
Have to say, I'm rather pleased to be reminded that while still a small fortune, Oklahoma is on the "least expensive" spectrum of things. Makes me feel a lot better about my decision to be here, rather than at another school!

I forgot to mention...The tuition only chart reflects an annual increase of 7% as previously mentioned.
The Cost of attendance chart reflects an increase of 5% for both tuition and living expenses every year; my thinking was living expenses won't go up quite that much, tuition will go up more, that's a middle ground.

I'll try to refine that and apply the higher rate to the portion of cost that is tuition and a hopefully lower inflation estimate to the living expense portion...
To my knowledge nobody's really done this so I am sort of feeling my way through it.

I forgot to mention...The tuition only chart reflects an annual increase of 7% as previously mentioned.
The Cost of attendance chart reflects an increase of 5% for both tuition and living expenses every year; my thinking was living expenses won't go up quite that much, tuition will go up more, that's a middle ground.

I'll try to refine that and apply the higher rate to the portion of cost that is tuition and a hopefully lower inflation estimate to the living expense portion...
To my knowledge nobody's really done this so I am sort of feeling my way through it.

The reason for the na's at the bottom is that I can not locate cost of living figures for those schools; for each school I used the cost of attendance provided by the school on their website. Despite repeated emails I still haven't gotten estimates from those schools listed with an na. I will update as new figures come in. Glad to take suggestions about who to contact at each school.

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Ah, thanks for clearing that up. I may be able to help you out with PEI. Will PM you.

Thanks for clearing that up! So other Canadians can apply, but don't get preference, but non-Canadians aren't eligible at all? Am I understanding that correctly? (This is mostly for my own curiousity.)

It's the least I can do.
I now have PEI cost of living figures thanks Coquette. I used middle of the road housing figures. The total is really high. I'll double check my numbers cause the non-resident 4 yr coa was UGLY!
I will be at work thru Monday morning so I'll try to get any other updates that come in over the weekend incorporated and get a current version to the moderator by Tuesday.

It's the least I can do.
I now have PEI cost of living figures thanks Coquette. I used middle of the road housing figures. The total is really high. I'll double check my numbers cause the non-resident 4 yr coa was UGLY!

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I think you'll find your numbers are sadly accurate. There's a reason I didn't choose to attend PEI, even though I love that area.

Yes, the cost for foreign students to go to AVC is very high. As for WCVM in Saskatoon, I think their language about giving priority to students from particular provinces/territories is pro forma - I think the truth is that ultimately all students accepted are from those areas because of the number of applicants. Other Canadian students are eligible to apply, but would only get in if there weren't enough local applicants, which probably isn't going to happen any time soon.

Attached is the data I could compile on Penn so far. Their archives are a bit sketchy. If I can fill in more data later I will. I like how 1 year tuition in state actually went down but they just doubled up the increase the next year. Too funny.

Attached Files:

While researching I found these quotes from 1997 Bellweather magazine (penn vets alumni newletter).

"By decreasing the tuition
burden of our student body we are
investing in our own future as well. Who
will purchase the practices we have built
and nurtured, if our young alumni are paying
back $100,000 worth of loans?"

In this era of diminishing
state resources, the budget increase for the
School is a remarkable accomplishment.
The Schools tuition continues to be
problematic for our students

Also of note is that some of the schools will allow a person to get in-state residency after the first year of attendance. UC Davis is one of them. So the non-resident cost actually only applies to the first year. I figure if you're doing total cost of attendance that's something to keep in mind.

Nyanko and Startingovervet, thanks for those tuition figures! I'll start putting them together.

On the residency thing, I saw that at I think OSU, didn't now about Davis. Can you send me anything from the website so I can check it out? Is everyone reclassified, only a certain number, what office do I email about that..????

Any other schools out there allow students to be reclassified as rsidents rather than non-residents after their first year?

I now have current numbers for Mississippi and better numbers for Va Tech, a lead on current figures for Purdue, a tip about a discrepancy at Guelph...

On the residency thing, I saw that at I think OSU, didn't now about Davis. Can you send me anything from the website so I can check it out? Is everyone reclassified, only a certain number, what office do I email about that..????

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Students have to do the legwork themselves, but any graduate student can reclassify after a year, and I think everyone pretty much does without issue. Gotta get the drivers license and car/voter regs etc but I've never heard of them turning people down.

It's the least I can do.
I now have PEI cost of living figures thanks Coquette. I used middle of the road housing figures. The total is really high. I'll double check my numbers cause the non-resident 4 yr coa was UGLY!
I will be at work thru Monday morning so I'll try to get any other updates that come in over the weekend incorporated and get a current version to the moderator by Tuesday.

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Where did this resident tuition number come from? We've had no tuition increase this year or last year at least.
PEI $82,818
It is not correct. That's almost double the true cost.
Canadian Students $11,552 per year

Where did this resident tuition number come from? We've had no tuition increase this year or last year at least.
PEI $82,818
It is not correct. That's almost double the true cost.
Canadian Students $11,552 per year

International Students $53,487 per year

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Whoa, missed that in the other file. Yeah, mhlaur is right. Resident tuition for four years is nowhere near that. Even if you did include 7% increase (but like mhlaur says, we don't necessarily increase every year), the total would be $51,288 by my calculation.

I used master of vet med tuition instead of dvm tuition. In the US the DVM is listed in the graduate degree category, in Canada it is listed in the undergrad category; that's where I got tripped up and ended up on the wrong page.
Excellent catch!!!! I would never have known. Please keep looking so I can fix any other mistakes asap.

I realize this could probably be done with a loan calculator just as easily, but I'd be interested in seeing how these numbers change assuming that interest is accumulating on these amounts during the four years. Anyone good with numbers that can do it in less time than I could?

I realize this could probably be done with a loan calculator just as easily, but I'd be interested in seeing how these numbers change assuming that interest is accumulating on these amounts during the four years. Anyone good with numbers that can do it in less time than I could?

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Without going into math (best to use a HP).....
6.75% interest on 4 equalannual streams of payments (I understand tuition increases but this is easiest).... will lead to approximately an 18% increase in principal after 4 years. So if you will borrow 200,000 over 4 years (50k a year) that will be 236k due on graduation.

i get substantially lower numbers for SGU for cost of living and slightly lower for cost of attendance factoring a 7% increase based off of the COA breakdown I have for this year. I'm happy to PM it to anyone who would like to see the facts and figures (upperclassmen say the cost of living is very accurate)

haha figures i just closed out of that window earlier! the part of the server that shows financial aid is near NYC and we were warned that they might potentially be down for a few days with the hurricane. it won't let me log in right now so give me a few days and i'll get the data to you when all is restored!

Here is a quick question.... in my vet orientation at MIZZOU they said the average debt of the class of 2011 was 110,000. That is out of everyone in state and out. The in state students therefore have an average debt much lower then this number. So the projected debt for our class of 2015 is something like 166,000? I am sorry but that just can not be right.

On the other hand everyone pretty much gains residency after a year in missouri and they save a ton of money. So the out of state numbers really do not make much sense either.

Maybe if you add your undergrad debt to your vet school debt I can see how some of these numbers would be higher.... But this is the average debt accumulated over 4 years in vet school right? So confused. But I guarantee that my debt will not be 166,000 dollars. Unless I go crazy spend that money on a new car. orrr a horse....

CarpeDiem,
What's confusing you? According to the university your living expenses will be $18,262 per year. Tuition will be $18,818 the first year instate. Total first year $37,080. Times 4 years is $148,320. If we assume tuition and living expenses will go up by 5% per year that's real close to $166,000. A little over actually.

Two more points:
1) those are instate costs-out of state would be close to $195,000
2) tuition has recently gone up much more than 5% a year

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Your right. That is what they are "estimating" but they always overestimate. Cost of living is super cheap in the midwest. Most people who are out of state get in state residency within a year. So the next three years they pay in state tuition. If an out of stater was looking at these numbers, they would be completely inaccurate because they only have to pay OOS tuition for a year. That is one of the main reasons why many OOS students choose missouri. I am sure a few people graduate with that kind of debt. Especially if they are supporting a family or have a medical issue. But for the average student... these numbers seem kinda elevated.

I am just saying that the school said that the average debt for the recent graduates, all students in the class in state or out, was 110,000. Living expenses included.

All I am confused about is that my school is saying one thing, and this paper is saying something wayyyyy different.

I just think that the schools estimated debt and the true debt are different numbers. I think their "estimation" on the website is only if you are taking the most expensive path possible, which the average student does not do. Maybe you can do a survey and look at actual students graduating and see if any of their debt comes close to your numbers.

I suspect a big part of the discrepancy is this: the average debt for recent graduates is much lower than your debt will be regardless of your living expenses, because you are likely to pay so much more in tuition. If there is any way possible to see the actual tuition bills for an 08, 09, 10, 11 grad- and compare them to the listed tuition the college plans on charging or has charged to '12, '13, '14, '15 grads- that would let us see how much of the difference is due to tuition.
Can you get your (and some of your schoolmates from all four classes, ideally, as expenses may change depending on what you're doing in school) actual living expenses together, and let's get a better figure to plug in?
Also can you tell me what office or what person you or others talked to to get your residency reclassified, so I can have a reference for redoing those numbers too? Thanks!

Oh, bad deal, CarpeDiem...
those figures DO reflect the reclassification after the first year already. I checked the calcs and numbers- I am already using the same tuition year 2, 3 and 4 for both residents and non-residents.
So that makes a more accurate living expense estimate even more important! Any chance you and some friends would want to have a bill party? You could get together and black out your names/write in your grad year on all your bills, scan them and email them to me?
Only half kidding...

Oh, bad deal, CarpeDiem...
those figures DO reflect the reclassification after the first year already. I checked the calcs and numbers- I am already using the same tuition year 2, 3 and 4 for both residents and non-residents.
So that makes a more accurate living expense estimate even more important! Any chance you and some friends would want to have a bill party? You could get together and black out your names/write in your grad year on all your bills, scan them and email them to me?
Only half kidding...

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i've been keeping a record of all of my purchases, i can send it to you at the end of the semester if you'd like (you're going to have to do a lot of converting EC to US though)

A HUGE thanks to justavet and all others who have put effort into this. These aren't fun to look at but it's essential to take a hard look at this and think hard about the future. I hope everybody takes the time to look at these numbers....I can't imagine I'll be applying for much more than my in-state. Thanks guys.

hey justavet, could you PM an email address? i dont think the message is sending for some reason i didn't realize it didnt go through a few weeks ago and it doesn't appear to be going through no (but i can receive your messages)